Can't Get Enough by Gena Showalter - Release Day Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—

CAN’T GET ENOUGH!

Grab your copy today!

   

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo

Author: Gena Showalter

Publication Date:  5 December 2017

Publisher: Strawberry Valley Press

Series:  The Original Heartbreakers

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Age Recommendation: 17 and Up

Rating: 4 Stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

New York Times best selling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Original Heartbreakers tale, featuring a rough, tough bad boy brought to his knees by... a kindergarten teacher? 

The king of one-night stands... To inherit--and destroy--his father’s business at long last, Brock Hudson needs a temporary wife.  The ruthless ex-military heartthrob has always avoided romantic entanglements.  Women are sweet, but vengeance will be sweeter.  Or so he thinks. Only one woman will do, but the vulnerable beauty is more than he bargained for—sexier, wittier, and utterly irresistible.

The queen of the deep freeze… After an abusive first marriage, Lyndie Scott has sworn off relationships.  But still she longs for a child of her own.  Turns out, the brawler who used to frighten her with only a glance is the answer to her problems.  She agrees to his proposal, with a caveat: spend every night in bed with her, then walk away for good when it’s time to divorce. Even if she’s pregnant.

A marriage of breathtaking inconvenience... As the days pass too quickly and the nights heat up, Brock battles a sense of possession and obsession. Will the former commitment-phobe convince his wife they’re better off together, or will she pack her bags and go?

My Review:
 
I am rarely ever as happy as when I have a Gena Showalter book in my hands.  She just knows how to give me all the swoons, laughs, a few tears, and lots of warmth from her characters friendships and romances.  Can't Get Enough was no exception to this.  

I wondered how Gena was going to take this one-night stand guy and turn him into a true hero, she's done it with each of the Heartbreakers up to now but I wasn't quite sure Brock could truly be redeemed.  Yes, I know he is broken, they all have been, but those very prevalent, through his friends books, one night stands and constant drinking issues were extremely concerning and I was afraid too big of a hurdle to climb over.  Well. let me be one of the many, I am sure, to tell you that I loved Brock Hudson.  He has some serious issues, yes, but this guy is truly a hero in my book.  He is the hero that Lyndie needs and even though he will tell you she changed him (she'd whisper with her 'magical vajayjay', ha)  he really in a way was his own hero too, she just made him want to be that person, but he had to become it all on his own.

Lyndie, she's such a sweet soul.  I loved her drive to create the life she should have always had.  I got a little frustrated with her constant need to show her independence, but having never been in her shoes it is hard for me to not appreciate it at the same time.  I knew that Lyndie's past was bad but I have to tell you until one particular moment right after Brock and Lyndie's wedding I didn't realize just how bad it had been.  To overcome what Gena put her through and still keep her beautiful, yet scarred, soul was absolutely moving.  Out of the two of these character Lyndie to me truly was the stronger and I loved her so much for it.

Together Brock and Lyndie were wonderful.  They fought a hard battle, with a lot of missteps along the way but in the end they never gave up on one another.  I loved how they were each others strength, how they were their to remind the other of how precious they were, these two people who were abused and practically discarded by the very people who were supposed to love them the most.  I will say there was a lot of internal monologuing for me in this one, which is the only reason I didn't give this one a 5 star.  I felt a times there was so much monologuing that you could basically skip entire paragraphs. I can understand the need for it at the same time however, these two are pretty complicated characters and most of that complication derives from their own personal feelings about themselves.  To become who they ultimately will in the end they have to work out their own thoughts, but it did make it drag a time or two.  I adored their romance though.  While it was full of it's ups and downs there was always something so pure and vulnerable about it.  You could feel the heat coming off the pages every time they looked at one another and their romantic moments, let's just say for Brock practice totally made perfect and Lyndie, she's quite the little hell cat underneath her khakis and cardigans (it's always the quiet ones, haha)

Can't Get Enough is just another wonderful addition to the series, I have not been disappointed in any of them and if you are a contemporary romance fan I doubt you will be either.  These all can be read as standalones, of course you will see the outcome fo the relationships that came before the one you are reading, but we all know these are HEA's so I don't think that would spoil anything for you at all. I am even a little teeny tiny bit hopeful that this isn't the last of this series, or maybe into a spin off series....there was some talk about a certain gentleman that you will meet in Can't Get Enough and one that I would really like to know more about and see settled and happy.  If this is the end, I am so going to miss Strawberry Valley, I am completely in love with that little town.

~HAPPY READING ~

     

EXCERPT: 

 “But… marriage? ”Lyndie asked. “I promised myself I’d never do the whole legal-ties thing again.” Straight white teeth nibbled on her bottom lip. “How long would our marriage last?” “I don’t know exactly.” Anticipation blended with excitement, driving Brock mad in the best possible way. So close to victory! “I’ll need to find the employees of the Hud and Son Group new jobs before I dismantle the company. There will be no collateral damage on my watch.” The employees were innocent, and he wouldn’t leave them in the lurch. “If I had to guess, I’d say a month. Maybe two, but not likely.” Her beautiful lips shaped the words, One month. His father’s will had two stipulations: Brock had to be married in order to run the business and, if he planned to continue running it, he had to remain married. Daddy Dearest had used the perfect bait. Miranda’s downfall. He’d known Brock would seethe as he imagined his mother rich, happy, and carefree. What Brock hadn’t yet comprehended? Why his father cared about his relationship status at all. What made his father think a commitment would “bring him out of the darkness and into the light?” Thankfully—and shockingly—there’d been no requirements for Brock’s wife. No “proper” pedigree. No reputation above reproach. No set family worth. The very requirements for the girls he’d dated in high school. Little wonder he’d always gravitated toward wild, tattooed biker babes. Lyndie was an anomaly, everything he’d never wanted but now had to have. She gulped. “Would we live together?” “Yes. For the sake of appearances, but also because your safety and peace of mind matter to me.” He would be on his best behavior. Would sidestep any conversations about the terrible things he’d done in the past. She would never know how much blood stained his hands. “I will continue to protect you from Rick Lambert. From anyone who threatens you.” Her shoulders rolled in. “I’m a magnet for crazies, aren’t I?” “Scottie, you’re a magnet, period.” She drew in a deep breath, slowly released it. “I’m shocked to admit this, but I like the idea of having you here… which makes me not want to have you here. I can’t learn to rely on you. I must rely on myself.” Craved her independence? “What if I promise not to ever cook your meals or clean the house or do anything gentlemanly?” The corners of her mouth twitched. “That would help, yes.” Closer still! “We’d have to sleep in separate bedrooms though. I’m not going to get used to your warmth.” Twin pink circles stained her cheeks. A flush of embarrassment… or pleasure? “But, uh, just to be clear,” she said, and gulped, “you will want to have sex with me, yes?” His excitement deflated. Did she not want to have sex with him? “Yes. I will. I do. I hope you’ll want to have sex with me.” Many times. Every night. “If you allow me into your bed, I will make your pleasure a top priority. But I will expect nothing, and I will never pressure you for something you aren’t willing to give. The money will be yours whether we sleep together or not.” Her breath hitched. Her pupils grew, black spilling over amber. Her nails dug into her knees, as if… no way. As if she had to stop herself from reaching for him. He went still. She wanted him. Lyndie Scott wanted him. Do not pound your chest like a gorilla. “I don’t want your money, Brock.” Heart thudding against his ribs, he opened his mouth to tell her that he’d give her anything. If she wanted him to beg, he would beg. He had no pride. Not with her. Shoulders squared, she added, “I want your sperm.” Uh, what the what now? His brain short-circuited. Groaning, she hunched over to anchor her elbows on her knees and cover her face with her upraised hands. “I think I misheard you,” he rasped, but deep down realization had begun to click. Lyndie Scott had caught the baby fever. She might agree to marry him, but she expected a child in return.  

     

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About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

   

Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter - Release Day Launch, Excerpt, and Giveaway

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Grab your copy today!

 

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Barnes&Noble ~ 

Nook ~ BookDepository ~ Powell’s ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ 

Kobo ~ GooglePlay ~ IndieBound ~ Audible

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out...but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.

   

     

Add it to your Goodreads

  EXCERPT:

Dorothea Mathis studied the last room on her cleanup schedule and groaned. The bed had been wrecked, the comforter and pillows tossed haphazardly on the floor. A pair of panties hung from a bedpost. The TV remote had been busted, the pieces scattered across the night­stand. Wet towels created a path to the bathroom door, and the trash can… Oh, gag me! The trash can contained used condoms. The place needed to be decontaminated by people wearing hazmat suits. Am I up to date on my vaccinations? With a sigh, Dorothea anchored earbuds in place, keyed up her iPod and donned a pair of latex gloves. One—germs. Gross! Two—she was protective of the green nail polish she’d applied only that morning. She selected color based on mood. Green = irritated. Somehow she’d known today would suck balls. Her mom must have checked in Mr. and Ms. Pigsty last night after Dorothea had gone to bed. Since she had a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call, she tended to hit the sack by 9:00 p.m. Granny hours, her sister, Holly, liked to tell her. Dorothea picked up the dirty towels, removed the panties from the post, emptied the trash, changed the sheets on the bed, straightened the pillows and covers, and tossed the remote remains, planning to bill the Pig­stys for a new one. Time was limited this morning. She’d promised to drive her mother into the city in— Crap! Less than an hour. She rushed through dusting and began vacuum­ing. As the machine swallowed dirt and debris, she tried not to envy her mother. Carol would soon be enjoying her fourth “singles retreat” of the year. Her fourth, but certainly not her last. She stayed at the Michaelson, a five-star hotel owned by the richest guy in Strawberry Valley, Dane Michaelson. Dane was married to a local girl Dorothea had gone to school with, and he allowed Carol to stay free of charge. No doubt about it, she took full advantage, attending speed-dating sessions, mixers and a plethora of themed parties. Her busy love life was just one of the many reasons she’d given the Strawberry Inn to Dorothea. The wheels on her cart suddenly squeaked, the sound louder than her music. Yanking out the earbuds, she spun. Surprise expelled the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping. This so wasn’t happening right now. It couldn’t be happening. Nightmares didn’t really come to life. Nor did pornos. Not that she watched those…very often. But dang it, this had to be one or the other. The sexiest man on the planet had just stridden into the room. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his eight pack—and his name was Daniel Porter. The Daniel. The childhood crush she’d never forgot­ten. The first boy to break her already fragile heart. She gulped. What was he doing here? Wait. Like she really needed to ponder this one. Wel­come back, Mr. Pigsty. Her hands trembled as she yanked the vacuum cord from the electrical socket, the room descending into si­lence as the engine died. I think you’re perfect just the way you are. She smoothed her trembling hands down her “uni­form,” a pair of blue scrubs that could take a licking and keep on ticking. “Uh, hi. Hello.” Oh, wow. Could she be any lamer? Definitely in a nightmare, not a porno. “Welcome back.” He pulled the earbuds from his ears and gifted her with a small smile that failed to hide the lines of strain around his mouth. “Sorry about the mess. I planned to clean up before I checked out.” His gaze darted through­out the room, and he cringed. “I also plan to pay for the remote.” What kind of sexual acrobatics had placed the poor remote in harm’s path, anyway? Oh, my stars. A warm flush poured over Dorothea, threatening to overheat her. She almost fanned her cheeks for relief, barely stopped herself. Look away! She tried, she really did, but Daniel was just so freaking beautiful. He was even taller now, and stronger, with a rough, tough face. His cheekbones were sharp, and his nose boasted a small notch in the center. Been broken a time or two? Dark stubble dusted his an­gular jaw, though the shadows couldn’t disguise the fine tracery of scars on his left cheek. He was a modern-day warrior—literally. After high school, he’d joined the army, defending the country he loved. This wasn’t the first time Dorothea had seen him since his return to town a few months ago, but her body reacted as if she’d never seen any man, heating and tin­gling in all the naughtiest places. Act naturally. He’s just a customer. A customer who’d wrecked a room during his most recent stay, but whatever. He was waiting for her to re­spond to his offer. Let’s do this. “Yes, thank you. Payment would be ap­preciated.” She wound the vacuum cord around her arm, her motions clipped. “As for the room, I just need to tidy the bathroom, and I’ll be done.” With his back to her, he stuffed his toiletries into an overnight bag. “I’ll get out of your way, then.” During his senior year of high school, he hadn’t just slept with Madison Clark; he’d slept with a string of beautiful, popular girls, as if banging-and-bailing had finally been dubbed a national sport. Good thing Dorothea hadn’t pursued him. He would have taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage. Instead, Jazz Connors had taken all her firsts and dis­carded her like garbage. Anger boiled her blood until bitterness swept in, leav­ing a glaze of frost. Fire and ice. This wasn’t the first time they’d battled it out, and this wouldn’t be the last. The biggest downside? They ensured the wounds inside her hollowed-out chest never really had a chance to heal. After graduation, she’d moved to the big bad city, enrolled in the University of Oklahoma’s meteorology program, met Jazz and gotten hitched, just as she’d al­ways dreamed…only to return home several years later with a divorce and no degree. A washed-up has-been by the age of twenty-four. Daniel, having served multiple tours of duty, had come back a hero. His life had meaning, hers didn’t. He and two of his friends had started a security company right here in Strawberry Valley. He took care of his ailing father, and in his free time he dated a plethora of city girls. Dorothea knew about the girls because he’d stayed at the inn every time a date had ended…successfully. Her flush returned full force as she considered the other five rooms he’d wrecked since his return…all the pleasure he’d been having…all the pleasure she wished she could experience. Not with him, of course. With someone she liked and respected. Someone who liked and respected her, too, despite the fact that she was still too round for society’s unhealthy standards, a lot too freckled and trapped in a dead-end job. Daniel Porter would never qualify. Dorothea found him attractive, yes, but to her, ap­pearance would never outshine personality. My man must be my equal. She had a lot of love to give. She’d even grown to like herself…kind of. Maybe. Fine, she was trying to like herself. Avoiding Daniel’s gaze, she said, “No, you stay. I’ll go.” Words her mother had drilled into her shouted in­side her head: the customer comes first. “I’ll finish your room later.” She rolled the vacuum toward her cart. “You live here, right?” he asked. “You own the inn?” “I… Yes.” Technically she lived in the attic. The more rooms she had available for guests, the more money she would make. At least in theory. Money was the number one reason she cleaned the pig­sties herself, rather than hiring a maid. She was saving her pennies to turn every plain, ordinary room into a themed paradise. Then Strawberry Valley residents would hap­pily pay to stay just for fun. Again, in theory. So far she’d decided on six themes. (1) Four seasons—the weather, not the hotel chain. (2) An enchanted forest. (3) A techno dance club. (4) The underwater world of Atlantis. (5) A royal palace. And (6) an inner sanctum, aka a superhero’s wet dream. Also up for consideration? A beach hut, an igloo, an insane asylum for her more daring patrons and a des­ert oasis. With twenty-three rooms in total, she needed other ideas fast. And more money. A lot more money. Maybe, when the transformations were completed, the feeling of accomplishment would finally chase away her anger and bitterness. Maybe she would feel alive. Happy. “If any part of your stay was subpar,” she said, “I will personally—” “No, everything has been great.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get into trouble with the boss.” Every pulse point in her body leaped with excitement. He’d winked at her. Her! I think you’re perfect just the way you are. Red alert! She would not read more into his words than he’d intended. Not this time. He was a flirt, plain and simple. Always had been, apparently always would be. “Why would I get in trouble?” she asked. “For not finishing the room.” Oh. Right. “Well, as long as you plan to come back to the inn, I won’t fire myself. Not because I’m desperate to see you or anything,” she added in a rush. “I’m not.” Dang it! “I mean, I’m always glad to see you here. I mean, I just want your money.” Okay. Enough! He laughed, his amber eyes twinkling. Air caught in her throat and sizzled. He had the sexiest laugh on the planet. His entire face softened. He pulsed with new life; fresh and vibrant, he was the epitome of spring. Then he frowned, as if he couldn’t believe he’d found humor in, well, anything. Her brow furrowed with confusion. Why the doom and gloom? “In that case,” he said, his tone flat, “I think I’ll stay another night.” “Really?” She licked her lips. “What about your girl­friend?” He stiffened. “She isn’t my—” “No, don’t tell me. I’m sorry I asked. Your love life isn’t my business.” “I live in Strawberry Valley. My love life is every­one’s business.” His wry tone made her chuckle, and he stiffened all over again. Great. What had she done wrong this time? “I’ll be alone tonight,” he said, looking anywhere but at her. “Apparently I hover over my dad when I’m home, so he’s asked for another night off. But I swear to you, this room will be clean in the morning.” She snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “Doubting Dot­tie.” A pause, then, “Would you like a cup of coffee be­fore you go?” “Oh, uh, no, thank you.” While she no longer viewed Daniel through the wounded eyes of high school betrayal— he’d been a nice boy doing a nice thing for a vulnerable girl in desperate need of a white knight—she’d endured too much heartbreak over the years to risk getting to know him better and reigniting her crush. Look at the way she’d reacted to him already. He appeared…disappointed? No, of course not. A trick of the light, surely. “Well. See you around, Daniel.” “Yeah. See you around, Dottie.” He returned his at­tention to his toiletry bag, dismissing her. Irritation had her snapping, “My name is Dorothea.” Before he could respond, she stepped into the hall and closed the door with a soft snick. Hands trembling, she hooked the vacuum to the cart and rolled the cargo to the supply room…where her younger sister Holly was smoking a cigarette.    

    

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About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

       

Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter - Review and Excerpt

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—

CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Order your copy today!

   

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Kindle ~ 

Barnes&Noble ~ Nook ~ Book Depository

Powell’s ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ Kobo ~ 

Google Play ~ IndieBound ~ Audible

Author: Gena Showalter

Publication Date:  29 August 2017

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Series:  The Original Heartbreakers, book 4

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Age Recommendation: 18 and Up

Rating: 5 Stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out…but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.

       

My Review:

Where do I even start....Gena Showalter, you have done it again!  This story is heartbreaking, uplifting, beautiful, and swoon worthy.  Basically Can't Hardly Breathe has all the feels and then some.

Let's just get this out of the way right now, minus some of the hard times she had to go through (though she wouldn't have been the character she was if she hadn't 'gone through it' right?) I want to be Dorothea Mathis.  Gena has written a compelling heroine, who is all sorts of every day woman with a little bit of badarse thrown in.  She's given us a heroine who isn't going to let life destroy her, though it does get her 'down' on more than one occasion.  I fell in love with and felt for Dorothea from the first pages.  All she has ever wanted was to be put first for once in her life, but every day was a reminder to her that she wasn't as 'good' as everyone else.  She would never be the popular girl, she would never be the 'super-model-esque' woman that everyone wants to know, she would always be asked to set herself aside so that others could blossom.  My heart completely broke the moment a light shined down on her, in the name of Daniel Porter

“I think you’re perfect just the way you are.

It was funny how one sentence - one moment - could impact a life forever.”

only to have the light ripped.  I struggled with Daniel a lot in the beginning.  Now when he's a teenager, I get it, he's a boy not quite a man with no understanding of the world going on around him outside the typically 'randy' thoughts going through his mind.  I can give him a break for that.  I struggled with him in the beginning, with his coping mechanisms, especially because they didn't just affect him.  I struggled with some of his excuses for what he does and how he tries to sabotage his happiness as well as the happiness of others.  However, I loved how once he got with the program he went in full steam ahead.  I loved the chase between Doroetha and Daniel.  I loved the romance and the snark, the quiet moments of contemplation.  I loved Daniels desire just to see Doroetha happy and protected.  I loved Doroetha's love for her friends and family, even when in particular her family didn't deserve it.  If I could have gotten ahold of her sister, boy-howdy...and that's all I will say about that.  

I loved the secondary characters, Daniel's dad, Doretha's family, Jude and Brock, Raynne and Lyndie especially...I can not wait for there stories, Jude and Raynne's is going to be a tissue box read I just know it.  I fell in love with this series at book one and I swear they just keep getting better and better. I honestly didn't realize that we would get more than three books to this series originally but man I could not be happier that we have more to go.  I don't know that I ever want to leave this strawberry town and it's people.  Can we just play matchmaker with everyone Gena so it doesn't have to end?

This series is a complete favorite of mine and if you love contemporary romance that is totally swoon-worthy, full of character development, heart breaking at times but heart warming more often and a side of a whole lot of wit and humor this is a perfect series to pick up!  Start from the beginning so you can see how all the characters intertwine and just get ready to fall in love with The Original Heartbreakers!  

~ HAPPY READING ~ 

       

Excerpt:

Dorothea Mathisstudied the last room on her cleanup schedule and groaned. The bed had been wrecked, the comforter and pillows tossed haphazardly on the floor. A pair of panties hung from a bedpost. The TV remote had been busted, the pieces scattered across the nightstand. Wet towels created a path to the bathroom door, and the trash can…

Oh, gag me! The trash can contained used condoms.

The place needed to be decontaminated by people wearing hazmat suits.

Am I up to date on my vaccinations?

With a sigh, Dorothea anchored earbuds in place, keyed up her iPod and donned a pair of latex gloves. One—germs. Gross! Two—she was protective of the green nail polish she’d applied only that morning.

She selected color based on mood. Green = irritated.

Somehow she’d known today would suck balls.

Her mom must have checked in Mr. and Ms. Pigsty last night after Dorothea had gone to bed. Since she had a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call, she tended to hit the sack by 9:00 p.m. Granny hours, her sister, Holly, liked to tell her.

Dorothea picked up the dirty towels, removed the panties from the post, emptied the trash, changed the sheets on the bed, straightened the pillows and covers, and tossed the remote remains, planning to bill the Pigstys for a new one.

Time was limited this morning. She’d promised to drive her mother into the city in— Crap! Less than an hour. She rushed through dusting and began vacuuming. As the machine swallowed dirt and debris, she tried not to envy her mother. Carol would soon be enjoying her fourth “singles retreat” of the year. Her fourth, but certainly not her last. She stayed at the Michaelson, a five-star hotel owned by the richest guy in Strawberry Valley, Dane Michaelson. Dane was married to a local girl Dorothea had gone to school with, and he allowed Carol to stay free of charge. No doubt about it, she took full advantage, attending speed-dating sessions, mixers and a plethora of themed parties.

Her busy love life was just one of the many reasons she’d given the Strawberry Inn to Dorothea.

The wheels on her cart suddenly squeaked, the sound louder than her music. Yanking out the earbuds, she spun.

Surprise expelled the air from her lungs, leaving her gasping. This so wasn’t happening right now.

It couldn’t be happening.

Nightmares didn’t really come to life. Nor did pornos. Not that she watched those…very often. But dang it, this had to be one or the other.

The sexiest man on the planet had just stridden into the room. He was shirtless, sweat glistening on his eight pack—and his name was Daniel Porter.

The Daniel. The childhood crush she’d never forgotten. The first boy to break her already fragile heart.

She gulped. What was he doing here? 

Wait. Like she really needed to ponder this one. Welcome back, Mr. Pigsty.

Her hands trembled as she yanked the vacuum cord from the electrical socket, the room descending into silence as the engine died.

I think you’re perfect just the way you are.

She smoothed her trembling hands down her “uniform,” a pair of blue scrubs that could take a licking and keep on ticking. “Uh, hi. Hello.” Oh, wow. Could she be any lamer? Definitely in a nightmare, not a porno. “Welcome back.”

He pulled the earbuds from his ears and gifted her with a small smile that failed to hide the lines of strain around his mouth. “Sorry about the mess. I planned to clean up before I checked out.” His gaze darted throughout the room, and he cringed. “I also plan to pay for the remote.”

What kind of sexual acrobatics had placed the poor remote in harm’s path, anyway?

Oh, my stars. A warm flush poured over Dorothea, threatening to overheat her. She almost fanned her cheeks for relief, barely stopped herself.

Look away! She tried, she really did, but Daniel was just so freaking beautiful. He was even taller now, and stronger, with a rough, tough face. His cheekbones were sharp, and his nose boasted a small notch in the center. Been broken a time or two? Dark stubble dusted his angular jaw, though the shadows couldn’t disguise the fine tracery of scars on his left cheek.

He was a modern-day warrior—literally. After high school, he’d joined the army, defending the country he loved.

This wasn’t the first time Dorothea had seen him since his return to town a few months ago, but her body reacted as if she’d never seen any man, heating and tingling in all the naughtiest places.

Act naturally. He’s just a customer.

A customer who’d wrecked a room during his most recent stay, but whatever. He was waiting for her to respond to his offer.

Let’s do this. “Yes, thank you. Payment would be appreciated.” She wound the vacuum cord around her arm, her motions clipped. “As for the room, I just need to tidy the bathroom, and I’ll be done.”

With his back to her, he stuffed his toiletries into an overnight bag. “I’ll get out of your way, then.”

During his senior year of high school, he hadn’t just slept with Madison Clark; he’d slept with a string of beautiful, popular girls, as if banging-and-bailing had finally been dubbed a national sport.

Good thing Dorothea hadn’t pursued him. He would have taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage.

Instead, Jazz Connors had taken all her firsts and discarded her like garbage.

Anger boiled her blood until bitterness swept in, leaving a glaze of frost. Fire and ice. This wasn’t the first time they’d battled it out, and this wouldn’t be the last. The biggest downside? They ensured the wounds inside her hollowed-out chest never really had a chance to heal.

After graduation, she’d moved to the big bad city, enrolled in the University of Oklahoma’s meteorology program, met Jazz and gotten hitched, just as she’d always dreamed…only to return home several years later with a divorce and no degree.

A washed-up has-been by the age of twenty-four.

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About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans    

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Gena Showalter’s CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

August 21^st

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

Obsessed by books – Review

once upon a romance blog – Review

Scandalous Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

August 22^nd

Alpha Book Club – Review

Beware Of The Reader – Review & Excerpt

Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt

Melena`s Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Romance Rebels – Review & Excerpt

August 23rd

Booknerd1107 – Review

East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt

Reads & Reviews – Review

Sweet Red Reads – Review & Excerpt

Under The Covers Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

August 24^th

Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm – Review & Excerpt

Rainy Days and Pajamas – Excerpt

Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt

Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Shannonbookishlife – Review & Excerpt

August 25^th

A geordielass honest blog on reviews – Review

Never without a book in hand – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

August 26^th

Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Kayns Book – Review

Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt

The Lovely Books – Review & Excerpt

With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt

August 27^th

From the TBR Pile – Review & Excerpt

Kdrbck – Review & Excerpt

Living in Our Own Story – Review

Nessa's Book Reviews – Excerpt

August 28^th

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Review

The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt

August 30^th

As The Book Ends – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Dirty and Flirty – Review & Excerpt

Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt

August 31^st

Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt

Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Straight Shootin' Book Reviews – Review

Two Girls with Books – Review

September 1^st

BJ's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Books and Things Blog – Review & Excerpt

Foxylutely Books – Review & Excerpt

Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt

September 2^nd

A Fortress of Books – Excerpt

Nicole's Book Musings – Excerpt

The bookworms obsession – Review

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

September 3^rd

a crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Bad boys and bedtime stories book blog – Review & Excerpt

Bloggin' With M. Brennan – Review

Francoise's Reading Corner – Review & Excerpt

Susan’s Books I Like – Excerpt

September 4^th

All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt

Lover of Big Books Cannot Lie – Review & Excerpt

Rantings of a Reading Addict – Review & Excerpt

September 5^th

Escape Inside the Pages – Review & Excerpt

Reading Escape Reviews – Review

Taylor Fenner's Bookish World – Review & Excerpt

The Sassy Bookster – Excerpt

September 6^th

Romancing the Readers – Review

Travels N Reads – Review & Excerpt

Sassy Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

September 7^th

JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Review & Excerpt

Lina's Reviews: A Book Blog – Review

Sofia Loves Books – Review

Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt

September 8^th

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Dirty Girl Romance – Review

Stuck In Books – Excerpt

Shannon's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

September 9^th

ContemporaryCween – Review & Excerpt

G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Ms. Me28 – Review & Excerpt

Relentless Romance – Review & Excerpt

   

Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter - Waiting on Wednesday

   

From New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes the next standalone romance in the Original Heartbreakers Series—

CAN’T HARDLY BREATHE!

Pre-order your copy today!

     

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Nook ~ Book Depository

Powell’s ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ Kobo ~ GooglePlay ~ IndieBound ~ Audible

Book Description: 

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter.  Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out...but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.

     

Add it to your Goodreads

   

About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfan    

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

The Harder You Fall by Gena Showalter - Waiting on Wednesday

Gena Showalter’s THE HARDER YOU FALL is coming! 

Being released on November 24^th, this fantastic contemporary romance in the Original Heartbreakers series is a scorching tale featuring an aloof bad boy and the rowdy Southern belle who rocks his world, published by HarlequinHQN! 

Pre-order THE HARDER YOU FALL from the links below for an sneak peek opportunity! And don't miss the exclusive teaser we have for you below!

 

Pre-order THE HARDER YOU FALL here!

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Nook ~ Book Depository * Powells ~ iBooks ~ BAM ~ Kobo ~ IndieBound

Book Description:

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes another scorching Original Heartbreakers tale featuring an aloof bad boy and the rowdy Southern belle who rocks his world…

Millionaire video-game creator Lincoln West has a dark and tragic past. The sought-after bachelor lives by a rigid schedule and a single rule—one relationship per year, lasting no more than two months. No exceptions. When he gave up the big city for a small town, he hoped to escape the worst of his memories—until a brash beauty dredges up long-buried emotions. A reformed party girl, Jessie Kay Dillon is determined to walk the straight and narrow. But her love-hate sizzle with West is just too irresistible. They can't be near each other without tearing off their clothes, but the last thing she needs is to be his next two-month dump. Will she become the one exception? Because as any former girl-gone-wild knows: rules are made to be broken.

 "Emotional, heart-tugging, kept me turning the pages!" —Carly Phillips, New York TimesBestselling Author

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

   

 

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series.  In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared onNightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours!  Her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees.
You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Novel Goodreads ~ 

Author Goodreads